Ever since the case of the Donglin Party forming a clique for personal gain was dealt with, the court had not been at peace for a few days before it became turbulent again, and even more serious than the last time. There was a feeling that it was becoming more and more intense, with a sense of impending storm.
Many middle and lower-level officials have already begun to think of solutions.
Officials with connections chose to be transferred to other places as soon as possible. It seemed that the capital would not be stable in the next few years, so being an official outside must be the best choice.
However, it is a little difficult to release it at this time, unless you have very strong connections.
Small officials without any connections or connections simply resigned, with various excuses, including poor health and the desire to return home to take care of their parents.
For them, it's okay to quit being an official, but they can't throw their lives away. How many people were killed in the last case?
Except for a few vice ministers and chancellors who were still being interrogated, all the people from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue were killed with a single blow.
How many people is that?
All of these people's homes were to be raided, and their families were to be exiled to Liaodong. Who wouldn't be afraid?
In addition, those people in the Ministry of Works will be dealt with soon. In the morning, the Jinyiwei arrested the right vice minister of the Ministry of Works. People said that the Minister of Works could not protect himself. The people in the Ministry of Works were in panic. Who would not be afraid at that moment?
In addition to those students who were arrested a few days ago, there is finally an explanation now. All the arrested students who have meritorious service will be dismissed and sent to Liaodong as exiles. This is simply the most harsh measure.
Public opinion was in turmoil for a while, and many scholars hid outside the city.
You know, there are so many scholars gathered in the capital, many of whom come here for next year's imperial examination. Now it seems that the capital is too dangerous, so let's get out of here first.
Although the court's actions frightened some people, they also angered some people, including officials headed by Li Mao.
They believed that the court was going against the will of the times and that the current emperor was so cruel and ruthless that he was not a benevolent ruler.
This statement is not the way of a benevolent ruler, in fact it is already a very heavy statement.
Because in Confucianism, benevolence is the highest profound principle. If you are not a benevolent ruler, then you have nothing to do with benevolence. There is an even more ruthless alternative, which is not the way of a wise ruler.
What else could he be but a wise ruler?
Shouting loudly, "No moral governance, no killing of innocent people," and then cursing the tyrant emperor, the image of a loyal minister emerges. Although he may be beaten to death afterwards, he will definitely be remembered in history.
Most people felt they wouldn't die, so they decided to give it a try, believing the law wouldn't punish them all. Anyway, more and more of them were gathering, planning to kneel down and protest at the Meridian Gate. They just needed a leader.
So these people began to look for the right person to be the leader.
Sun Shenxing and Gao Panlong were no longer with us, Han Yu and Zhao Nanxing were traitors, Xu Guangqi and Huang Kezun were unreliable, and Sun Chengzong was the only one left among the college students in the cabinet, so some people began to contact Sun Chengzong.
In addition to focusing on the cabinet, these people also looked elsewhere, trying to find a suitable candidate.
Soon they selected another target, who was the newly appointed Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Zuo Guangdou.
They thought Zuo Guangdou was a veteran of the Donglin Party and now that he was the Minister of Revenue, it was a good opportunity for him to step up. In fact, to put it bluntly, they were just forcing Zuo Guangdou.
Because there were rumors outside that the reason why Zuo Guangdou was able to become the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was because he defected to Xu Guangqi, the Second Assistant of the Cabinet.
The relationship between Xu Guangqi, the second assistant to the cabinet, and Chen Kedao was naturally easy to find out, and it was now known to everyone in the government and the country.
Many people felt that Xu Guangqi was behind the incident that Chen Kedao had caused. Many people also felt that Chen Kedao was the instigator of this incident, and it was his presence that caused things to become what they are now.
Cui Chengxiu and others were also advocating Chen Kedao's theory, so they went to Zuo Guangdou, hoping to use their reputation to suppress him. If Zuo Guangdou didn't obey, his reputation would be ruined.
In fact, Zuo Guangdou was one of the few pragmatic officials in the Donglin Party, the kind who could get things done without talking too much.
The news soon spread to the imperial palace. Zhu Youxiao also knew what was going on and felt a little helpless.
Originally, Zhu Youxiao had no intention of intervening in this matter. He wanted these people to come to the Meridian Gate to make trouble, and then let Wei Zhongxian take action. At the same time, he would let the cabinet express its position and demonstrate his own attitude.
But now it seems that it is no longer working. They are using external public opinion to pressure the ministers in the court.
Originally, ministers in the court didn't need to express their opinions; they could just play coward and not be implicated in subsequent events. After the incident was over, they would remain the same. Not forcing them was also the duty of the ruler and his subjects.
But now the ministers in the court are being pressured by public opinion. Who knows if they will make a decision that I am not satisfied with. I will definitely punish them when the time comes, so I still have to put an end to this matter.
Zhu Youxiao is about to reach out.
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